Beaded barrette



Nov. 21, 1950 N, BQLINGER 2,531,024

BEADED BARRETTE Filed May 19, 194'? Patented Nov. 21,1950

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

This invention relates to a barrette, and more particularly to an ornamental type of barrette wherein the means for rendering the barrette ornamental in appearance assists the normal functioning or" the device in holding in place the hair of the wearer.

As is Well known, it is the common practice for girls and women to employ bobby pins, barrettes and similar devices to assist in holding the hair in place. Devices such as bobby pins usually are wholly utilitarian in nature and are not particularly ornamental. Barrettes are frequently designed to present an ornamental appearance, but the ornamentation employed serves no function except to improve the appearance of the device,

while adding substantially to the cost of manufacture.

An important object of the present invention is to provide a novel type of barrette which is constructed so as to be ornamental in appearance and wherein the ornamentation applied to the device greatly improves its functional efficiency in holding in place the hair of the wearer.

A further object is to provide a simpl device of this character wherein the body of the device is generally in the nature of a bobby pin and wherein ornamental elements are applied to one shank of thelpin to greatly improve its appearance and to assist in its function of holding the hair in place.

A further object is to provide a barrette having a unitary resilient body formed of a pair of adjacent relatively parallel arms one of which forms the outer or visible arm of the device and is inserted through elements such as beads or the like which improve the ornamental appearance of the device and improve its functional characteristics.

A further object is to provide a device of the character just referred to wherein the ornamental elements employed are provided with openings therethrough which may be quickly and easily slipped into position on one arm of the body of the device and cemented in position, thus providing a highly efficient device which may be made at a relatively low cost.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following description.

In the drawing I have shown two embodiments of the invention. In this showing Figure 1 is a perspective view of one form of the device,

Figure 2. is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view through the device, the body of the device being shown in elevation,

Figure 3 is an enlarged cross sectional view on line 3-3 of Figure 2, and

Figure 4 is a side elevation of a modified form of the device.

Referring particularly to Figures 1 and 2, the numeral Id designates the body of the device which is bent intermediate its ends as at H to form arms l2 and E3. The body it] is preferably formed of metal and of such nature as to possess a substantial degree of resiliency whereby the arm l3 tends to move toward the arm l2.

The body of the device, as described, is similar to a conventional bobby pin, as will be apparent,

and in such a device it is the common practice for the wearer to spread the free ends of the device and insert it in position in the hair, the arm l2 lying next to the scalp and the arm l3 overlying the hair and accordingly being visible. Devices of this character are relatively objectionable for two reasons. In the first place, the visible arm I3 is not particularly ornamental in appearance. In the second place, even though the outer arm of a device of this character is often bent to form undulations, the device does not provide suiiicient gripping force to hold the hair efiiciently in position.

The present device provides novel ornamentation and at the same time improves the hairgripping properties of the device. A plurality of ornamental elements 15 are applied to the outer arm I3 of the device. The elements P5 are shown as being in the form of spherical beads each of which has an opening I6 therethrough. This opening is of sufficient size to permit the free insertion therethrough of the arm l3 and may be circular or any other cross-sectional shape. The beads or other ornamental elements [5 are effectively held in position by filling the openings l6 with cement l8, no other fastening means being necessary to hold the ornamental elements in position. If desired, the outer extremity of the arm l3 may be upset or bent as at I9 to prevent possible displacement of the elements I5, but this has been found unnecessary and the extremity of the arm l3 need not extend beyond the last bead placed in position, in which case such last bead will appear smooth over the end of the arm [3, as in Figure 4, to be referred to later.

The resiliency of the material of the body l0 tends to hold the elements H5 in contact with the arm l2, as shown in Figure 2. The arm I2 forms with successive pairs of the elements l5 a plurality of hair-receiving recesses 22 extending upwardly between the successive pairs of elements l5, and these recesses or pockets tend to receive strands of the hair to assist in retaining the device in position.

The use of cement for holding the devices IS in position is not essential since the end of the arm l3 can be bent as at [9, as described above. However, the use of cement is preferred since it holds the elements I5 fixed with respect to the arm l3. Additionally, it will be noted that when cement is used, a slight amount of it will seep out between adjacent pairs of beads to form filleted angles 23 between adjacent pairs of beads, thus efiectively preventing the hair from being caught between such beads or other ornamental elements.

The form of the device described above is highly effective for holding the hair in proper position. An even greater hair-gripping action can be provided by employing the form of the invention shown in Figure 4. The modified form of the invention is identical with that previously described except that the lower arm of the body it, indicated by the numeral 24 in Figure 4, is bent to form arcuate undulations 2.5 registering with and adapted to receive the respective ele- A ments [5. The modified form of the device minimixes the size of the pockets 22', but provides a more positive gripping action between the arm 2 and the ornamental elements 15.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the present invention provides a highly simplified form of hair-gripping ba-rrette which may be very economically manufactured, the cost of the beads or similar devices [5 being comparatively low. These elements maybe made of glass, plastic or any other suitable material and may be of any desired colors. Obviously all of the beads of any one device may be made all of the same color, or any combination of colors may be provided. Moreover, the elements I5 need not be in the form of spherical beads since other shapes may be employed, but it is preferred that the sides of the elements 15 facing the arm l2 be so shaped as to provide the outer structure of the device with an undulating inner surface portion to provide smooth surfaces and to provide the hair-engaging pockets 22. In the case of the device shown in- Figure 4, it is preferred that the undulations 25 correspond in shape with the suriaces'of the elements 55 with which they tend to remain in engagement.

The-smooth hair-engaging surfaces permit the device tobe easily placed in position by spreading the open ends of the device, and the barrette may be similarly relatively easily removed from the hair. The gripping surfaces are of such nature, however, that accidental displacement will not occur nearly so readily as is true of conventional bobby pins which depend almost wholly upon their inherent resilience in order to remain in proper position.

The beads or similar elements l5 are readily placed in position on the device, and with cemerit previously applied to the outer arm of the body or to the openings in the beads, it merely is necessary to slip the beads into position and to allow the cement to dry. No other securing outer arm is bent upwardly as at I9, and this 4 is solely a matter of preference. The beads l5, particularly where colored glass or plastic is employed, greatly improve the ornamental appearance of the device and the beads also enter vitally into the function of the device.

I claim:

1. A hair-holding device comprising a unitary body bent intermediate its ends to form spaced arms, a plurality of ornamental elements have ing openings therethrough to receive one of said arms, said elements having portions projecting toward the other arm to cooperate therewith to form hair-holding surfaces, said body being formed of resilient material to tend to hold said elements in engagement with said other arm, and cement arranged within the openings in said elements and fixing them in position on said one arm, the cement of adjacent elements being bonded together between each adjacent pair of elements to form filleted corners therebetween.

2.- A hair-holding device comprising a pair of adjacent arms biased toward each other, and a plurality of spherical beads having openings therethrough surrounding one of said arms, said beads being arranged in contiguous relationship on said one arm and normally engaging the other arm, said other arm being provided with undulations each substantially corresponding in shape to and contacting one of said beads.

3. A hair-holding device comprising a pair of adjacent arms biased toward each other, a plurality of spherical beads having openings therethrough surrounding one of said arms, said beads being arranged in contiguous relationship! on said one arm and normally engaging the other arm, and cement arranged in the opening in each of said beads to fix it in position on said one arm, the other of said arms being provided with undulations each generally corresponding in shape to and substantially fitting the adjacent portion of one of said beads, the cement of adjacent beads being bonded therebetween to provide filleted corners between each adjacent pair of beads.

4. A hair-holding device comprising a body having inner and outer arms biased toward each other, and hair-gripping means carried by one of said arms, said means comprising a plurality of contiguous spheres having diametrical openings therethrough to receive said one arm whereby said spheres surround such arm, said spheres having filleted corners therebetween.

GEORGE NOEL BOLINGER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,781,324 Dies NOV. 11, 1930 1,900,970 Alimena Mar. 14, 1933 2,403,601 Jackson July 9, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 624,164 France July 9, 1927 787,275 France Sept. 19, 1935 

